Booze News Weekly Roundup: Supreme Court to Hear Home Distilling Case, Fawn Weaver Motions to Block Uncle Nearest Sale, and More
This is VinePair’s Booze News Weekly Roundup, where we gather the hottest headlines and product releases every Friday for a snapshot of what’s happening in the beverage alcohol industry. This week, we have updates on Diageo’s toxic chemical spill, SCOTUS to review a home distilling case, the latest product releases, and more.
News to know:
Diageo’s toxic spill contaminates “pristine” Scottish river: The water in Scotland’s River Spey was once some of the cleanest in the world until a chemical spill from Diageo’s Cardhu Distillery. Contamination from the incident killed thousands of salmon, trout, and other fish. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is actively investigating Diageo to see how the caustic soda, the toxic contaminant, entered the waters. A Diageo spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company is complying with SEPA and helping plan regeneration and restoration measures.
Supreme Court agrees to hear ban on home distilling case: Supreme Court decided on Monday to hear the case that will determine if the 1868 federal ban on home distilling is unconstitutional. The justices reached the decision following a request for review from Trump’s Department of Justice, which it filed after the SCOTUS had put a delay on deciding whether or not to hear the case. Hearings will begin as early as January.
Fawn Weaver motions to block Uncle Nearest sale: As three potential buyers eye Uncle Nearest its assets, founder Fawn Weaver filed a motion to stop the sale. The filing came after Uncle Nearest’s court-appointed receiver Phillip G. Young, Jr., said in a court document on Oct. 9 that the whiskey brand neared sale under Chapter 11.
Beloved bev-alc trade show slims after attendance drops: Bar Convent Berlin (BCB), one of the beverage industry’s most influential trade events, will shrink from three days to two days of festivities in 2027 as this year’s attendance dropped by 1,000 visitors and over 100 exhibitors year-over-year. The event’s organizer RX Deutschland said BCB’s trimming-down is part of a broader strategy that will prioritize other in-person trade events of other sizes.
Product releases to watch:
Absolut Vodka partners with Charli xcx for product drops, merch: Absolut announced a two-year partnership with the hyperpop icon who made waves with her 2024 album “brat.” The collab will entail limited-edition product drops, branded glassware, and fan activations.
Jay-Z and LVMH’s Champagne brand launches a vertical-tasting bundle: Armand de Brignac — also known as Ace of Spades — founded by Jay-Z and now co-owned by LVMH, released a vertical tasting pack for two of its Blanc de Noirs expressions. The pack, priced on its website for $2,500, includes both the Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 and No. 5 and is limited to just 100 cases.
The article Booze News Weekly Roundup: Supreme Court to Hear Home Distilling Case, Fawn Weaver Motions to Block Uncle Nearest Sale, and More appeared first on VinePair.